Character Studies
by plutospawn
Summary: Self-explanatory title. Just a bunch of unrelated one-shots put together in a tidy package.
1. Expected Casualties

Expected Casualties:

"Bastard! I'll see you dead!"

I had meant it that day. It's amazing how steadfast and determined an eight year old child can be.

In retrospect, I had behaved rather impetuously. Still reeling from the consecutive deaths of both my parents, it had seemed like a logical idea at the time to lunge at a decorated Valuan officer with little more than a dagger and a spot of insanity.

To be born of aristocratic stock only to be reduced to a street urchin on account of your government's aggressive foreign policy is embittering. Not that any child should be forced to learn how to avoid the patrols on Upper City Valua while simultaneously ignoring the grumblings in their stomach.

My father had been lost to me on account of war since I was five, although he technically didn't die until my sixth year. After that, my mother seemed hell bent on drinking herself to death and finally succeeded two weeks before my eighth birthday.

So as I pawned my mother's jewelry off one by one for food, I kept my father's dagger, an ugly serrated thing, close to my heart. Content to pretend that I knew what true heartbreak felt like, I could continue to survive. Because I had something to live for. Galcian.

If that cocky Captain hadn't been so content on rising in the ranks he wouldn't have ordered that suicide assault on Nasr. The lives of those men, my father included, wouldn't have been forfeit. If my father had lived that day, perhaps he would have survived the war and returned to me and my mother. Then Mother wouldn't have submitted to her misery.

Too many "what-ifs" to sustain logic, I know, but that's irrelevant to a grieving girl. So when I saw Captain Galcian sauntering down the street, I abandoned all common sense.

One of his subordinates saw me before I was even a yard away. The soldier even had the opportunity to stretch his fingers before he struck me across my face.

I fell to the ground immediately, humiliated and furious at how easily I was defeated.

"Seems like the rats are getting bigger," the soldier casually noted.

I ignored the man as I pushed myself back up to my feet. I pointed a rigid finger at Galcian and said the words I had practiced in the shadows for a month.

"Bastard!" I cried. "I'll see you dead!"

"Let me take care of this, Captain," the soldier offered.

A single glance from Galcian stilled his men. Instead, the Captain crouched on his haunches before me. He firmly grasped my chin in his hand and forced me to meet his eyes.

He studied me quietly for a moment, while I bit my bottom lip to keep my knees from trembling. It would be many years yet before his hair grayed, but his pale blue eyes already had the clarity and determination in them that I would train myself to love.

"What is your name, girl?" he asked.

"Belleza," I answered. "Daughter of a man who did not survive your order. Daughter of a woman too weak-hearted to live without her husband."

"I see," he murmured. "Tell me, how long have you planned your attack?"

I went over the math in my head before I confidently replied, "One month, two weeks and a day."

"So you have bid your time carefully, then." Galcian chuckled.

"What's so funny?" I swallowed hard.

"My companions want to punish you for treason," Galcian said. "You know that the punishment for treason is death, don't you?"

"I do now," I replied.

"But I think they're being hasty." Galcian smiled coldly.

"Oh?" I tried not to stammer.

"Yes," Galcian replied. "You amuse me. Not many grown men would have the courage to attack an officer of the Valuan Armada, yet as a child you had both the patience to wait for an opportunity and the determination to strike."

He released his grip on my face and stood. As Galcian reached into his expensive gold braided jacket, I could only imagine the ornate detailing on the hilt of the rapier he would pull out to end my life. I closed my eyes, chilled to the marrow.

Instead, the Captain retrieved his handkerchief. He dabbed the linen against his tongue, then began to scrub the filth from my face with it.

"Captain, you can't possibly…" the soldier spluttered.

"I want you to find some lodging for this child," Galcian interrupted. "She shows promise. I want you to see to it that she attends the academy."

"Yes sir!" The soldier nodded furiously before he saluted Galcian and stormed off.

"What are you waiting for, Belleza?" Galcian asked. "Follow him."

And I did.

It seems that Lord Galcian was correct in his judgment of me. I excelled at the academy, particularly the psychological studies. It felt almost natural to rise in the ranks after I graduated. If any competition stood in my way, I would evaluate their weaknesses, their insecurities, their habits, obsessions; eat away at the very things that made them human. I had a goal; to see to it that no child had to suffer as I did. An admirable ideal that most of those high society academy snobs lacked. They mostly wanted the titles and ranks and decorations for aesthetic purposes, for bragging rights at cocktail parties.

Perhaps that was too cruel. There were exceptions. Admiral Gregorio was a brilliant tactician and his heart bled for his country. Unfortunately, for every Gregorio, there were a thousand Alfonsos. That math was not in favor of Valua.

But there was only one Galcian. Period. And I would do anything to make him proud.

Curious how relationships change. I hated him with every fiber of my being and when he caught me he should have killed me. But he didn't. It was almost a disappointment to the girl I had been. Because that immediately disproved my theory of Galcian being nothing more than a monstrous butcher.

From that confusion I had to completely reevaluate my perception of the man. Every order, every decision, every glance, every breath was done with a purpose. Yes, although the deployment of a small group of ships meant certain death for the men that manned them, my father included, it gave the rest of his battalion of ships the opportunity to surround and defeat the Nasreans. It made for a quick battle, which in turn made for a quick war and a quick war means less loss of life. I had to believe that.

That made Galcian admirable. That made Galcian essential for the good of the Valuan people. For the good of all the people of Arcadia. If everyone was united under one ruler there would be no need for them to bicker amongst themselves. There'd be no reason for governments to send fathers off to war.

So I gladly fought for Galcian because of this. I loved him because of this. Whenever I looked into his eyes, it wasn't what I wanted to see. But it was all that I had. There was always that clarity and steel determination. Nothing else. I suppose maybe I figured that if I loved him more than I could comprehend, that would be enough love for two people regardless of what he felt.

I was mistaken.

Soldiers die in war. It is an expected casualty. When the corpses of the elderly litter the street alongside children and mothers clutching their babes to their cold breasts, that is not war. And if he was capable of doing that to the country he had taken an oath to protect, there was nothing he wouldn't destroy. Myself included.

"Good bye, my love."

A touching farewell. The tool finally rebelled against the hand that controlled it. Perhaps I didn't really love him. But if that was the case, why did it hurt so much?

"Bastard. I'll see you dead."

To think that the eight year old child knew more than the woman.


	2. The Princess and the Idiot

Author's Note: So was I the only one who didn't realize that Urala marries Hans? I wrote this to cover my tracks.

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The Princess and the Idiot:

Her children are beautiful. They have her eyes. And her bird-like frame. The boy, Nobu, may have to worry about that when he grows up. Being too beautiful. But Ren will be fine.

By fine, I mean hounded by idiot men. Her pop is going to have a hell of a time.

I guess I should be grateful, not having to put up with that crap. After all, I'm just the bastardly uncle figure. I'm there to teach them dirty jokes and slip them candy before dinner.

I should just be glad that she still lets me hang around after all these years. I mean, diving after a woman's husband with a broken loqua bottle isn't exactly regarded highly. She forgave me, though. Invited me to dinner too.

I declined that time, but eventually came crawling back to their doorstep. Her husband's a strong man. I don't mean physically, I'd whip his pansy arse in a bar brawl any day of the week. But that character of his, nothing fazes him. At least, nothing that I can throw at him and believe me I've tried.

I'm done with running through what could have been. What should have been. That changes nothing. I was given the opportunity of a lifetime and I took it.

The Esperanzan Navy needed an admiral. Since I was no longer technically a pirate, I was looking for work. With the solid recommendation of the Emperor, I was sent merrily on my way.

I could have stayed on Crescent Isle. But what kind of future does a woman have with an out of work pirate that just bums around? I'll tell you, no kind of happy future.

Maybe I should have taken her with me. Just tear her away from her home, her sister, her work at the tavern. But at the time that sounded cruel and maybe I was just too confident in my standing with her.

So I asked, "Wait for me?"

She never answered.

I should have known what that meant. It meant wrap the woman up in your arms and kiss her with as much bravado as you can possibly muster. While she's still trying to catch her breath, you throw her over your shoulder and run away with her.

I know. I was an idiot. I settled for squeezing her hand and promising to return as soon as I secured my career.

I made good on my promise too. Five years after I set off for Esperanza, I returned. She was waiting alright. With a toddling Nobu and Ren eight months on the way. I didn't take it well.

So like a bastard I said some horrible things and like the kindhearted woman she was, she accepted it all. She just stood there listening to my tirade as if it were fact and not the slurs of a man angry at his own mistakes. Her husband finally had enough of it and tried to intervene. That's when I attacked him with the loqua bottle.

I don't quite remember what happened next, though I know Kirala's fists were involved. That woman was always fiercely protective of her sister. And she seemed to like any excuse to pound me.

For a while after that I stayed away from them. I figured I'd given them more than enough reason to hate me. But that ended when Ren arrived.

Ren has always been troublesome, because the pretty ones always are. It was no different the day she was born. Apparently Ren didn't want to enter the world through normal means. So while her mother screamed in agony, Ren was content to try and exit the womb belly first.

This was problematic for her father as well, because although he desperately wanted to be there to soothe his wife, he was given the task of watching Nobu. He tried to remain as calm as he could, but every time he heard his wife call out in pain while he was explaining where babies came from to his son, he began to go a little crazy.

I had to do something. Even though my initial thought was to forget everything and run to the woman I loved, I knew where I was needed more. I scooped Nobu into my arms and grinned at his father.

"The kid and I are going on a treasure hunt," I said. "I'm sure you'll find something to keep you occupied."

Nobu's dad nodded, before he turn and ran towards the birthing cabin.

"Treasure?" Nobu asked.

"Yeah," I replied. "Something to celebrate the baby being born."

"Like what?" the boy wanted to know.

"I don't know." I shrugged. "Cigars maybe?"

"Cigars?" he asked.

"Nothing that you'd want," I said quickly. "You smoke too many of them you'll end up looking like Osman."

"Ewww!" Nobu exclaimed.

"Yeah," I agreed. "Maybe cigars aren't such a good idea."

"How do you know Mommy?" Nobu asked.

I sighed and set the boy down.

"That's a long story, kiddo," I said.

"You made Mommy cry," Nobu said solemnly.

"I suppose I did," I replied. "I was a real pisser last time we talked."

"Pisser?"

I chuckled.

"Those aren't words you should go repeating," I told him. "People here don't think very highly of me because of my language. You shouldn't aim to talk like me."

"Does Mommy hate you?" Nobu asked.

"I wouldn't blame her if she did," I answered.

"If Mommy hates you, I'll fight you," the boy decided. He balled his pudgy little hands into fists and held them up at me.

"Well, we don't want that," I said quickly. "How about we wait for your mom to get done with this baby stuff to ask if she hates me or not?"

Nobu nodded.

"Okay," he agreed. "What can we do now?"

"Why don't I tell you a story?" I suggested.

"A story?" Nobu exclaimed. "Does it have a turtle in it?"

"Even better," I said. "It has a princess and an idiot."

The boy's lips pursed in a frown.

"I think I've heard it," he said.

"You have not!" I retorted. "This is a story I've made up just for you."

"Really?" Nobu grinned as he scrambled into my lap. "Tell me. Tell me!"

"Okay, here goes." I cleared my throat. "Once upon a time there was a princess. I just say princess, because her face wasn't exactly what a person would call breathtakingly beautiful. Don't get me wrong, she was cute, just not stunning.

"Anyway, this princess was all too aware that her personal beauty paled in comparison to that of her sister and the other princesses of the land. So, because of this knowledge she kept herself holed up away from everybody. Sure, she'd make the obligatory appearance at the dinner party, but as soon as she said hello, she'd run right back up to her room.

"It was a sad life for such a lady, but she lived it. Until one day she met this idiot. Now, the idiot was just that: an idiot. But the idiot had something special. He had this magical mirror that had the ability to reflect the soul of the person who gazed into it. So by using his mirror and seeing into the princess' soul, the idiot knew that there truly wasn't a more beautiful person in the entire world. This is where the trouble started, because the idiot knew he was falling in love with the princess."

Nobu snuggled into my chest.

"Falling in love?" He looked up at me and crooked an eyebrow.

"Yeah." I grinned.

"How did that cause trouble?" Nobu asked.

"Something you'll find out when you're older is that love is troublesome under the best circumstances," I answered. "Not to try to scare you away from it or anything. That's just the truth.

"Anyway, determined to impress the princess, the idiot traveled the world searching for the perfect gift. He finally found the perfect item, too. A handkerchief. Simple and functional, just like his love.

"Well, the princess accepted his gift and the idiot's heart swelled with pride. He realized too late, however, that he had whittled away what little money he had in his quest for the gift. He had nothing more to offer her other than himself.

"But the idiot had also used the mirror on himself and knew the truth about his own soul. When he looked into the mirror, he saw a man and nothing more. His very life couldn't be compared to the majesty of the princess' heart."

"I have heard this!" Nobu interrupted. "Mommy's already told me this story."

"She has, has she?" I mused. "Why don't you tell me the ending, then?"

"The idiot wasn't an idiot at all," Nobu said. "Mommy says the idiot was really a child of the sun."

"A child of the sun?" I murmured. "What does that mean?"

"It meant that his destiny was too good to be kept just on Crescent Isle," the boy explained. "He needed to travel around the world saving dying countries."

"Is that so?" I asked. "What happened to the princess?"

"She understood," Nobu replied. "She'd watch the sunrise every day and think of him. She knew just like the sun would rise every morning, the idiot would return one day."

"Funny, that wasn't the ending I was going to use," I whispered.

"There's another ending?" Nobu looked at me anxiously. "Tell me!"

"No," I said. "I think I like your ending better."


	3. Pirate

That morning the sun had been slow to rise. While it made its way lazily past the horizon, she stealthily prowled among the jungle of tangled limbs and bedcovers. Careful, practiced hands crawled weightless along the perimeter of the bed. She held her breath, as to not alert her sleeping prey, sucked down a giggle that was threatening to burst out her belly. They had slept long enough.

She attacked.

Her father always gave the best reaction. Blue eyes peeled open as wide as possible and arms flailing as she jumped up and down on his stomach. As she squealed in delight, her mother groaned and tried to submerge deeper into the covers.

"Aika!" Her father frowned, serious. "Don't scare me like that."

Aika's smile died. "Sorry, Daddy."

Her father glanced over at his wife, attempting to get another minute's rest. "You'll be sorry, alright." He lurched forward and scooped his daughter up, tickling her until she shrieked with laughter.

Aika squirmed, snorted, cackled and kicked until her mother stirred. Daddy grinned as he set her down on her mother. "Looks like Mommy's up."

"Takes after you," Mommy mumbled and rubbed at her eyes.

Daddy shrugged. "It's a redhead thing."

"Must be." She grabbed Aika's outstretched hands and pulled her into her arms. "I thought you said we had to be well-rested for this expedition?"

"This is rested well enough, isn't it?" He propped his chin on his wife's shoulder. "We're going to be gone a while, Aika's going to miss us."

"I'm going to miss Aika." She hoisted her daughter into the air and raspberried her stomach. "Miss you, you hear me?"

Aika kicked out at the air, laughing. Her mouth hurt from smiling, sides ached from laughing, tummy burbled demanding breakfast, head rested on Mommy's chest, listened to the even, heavy rasp of Mommy's breathing. Soft arms encased her and Aika struggled to see her parents' faces.

"I can come too," Aika said.

"Oh?" Daddy chuckled.

"I'm a pirate," Aika insisted.

"The tiniest rogue in all of Arcadia," Daddy exclaimed. "Do you fight for love or justice?"

Aika shook her head. "Shiny things."

"Shiny things it is," Daddy decided. "I'll bring you back something that glitters like the sun."

"But I'm coming," Aika said.

"I don't know about that." Mommy reached for a brush on the nightstand. "I don't think Arcadia is tough enough to deal with you just yet."

"Please?" Aika threw herself deeper into her mother's arms.

"Not this time," Mommy said. "You've got to be bigger than your boomerang, first."

Aika pushed her way out of her mother's lap and turned her big eyes to her father. "Please?"

"Not a chance." Daddy grinned. "If we come across a group of loopers, they might try to take you back."

"Nuh uh!" Aika exclaimed.

"Your mom's right," Daddy said. "You're not ready. Maybe in a couple years."

"A couple years?" Aika frowned. "But that's so long!"

"Maybe for you, it is." Mommy started to brush Aika's hair. "But ships can be dangerous."

Aika stuck her tongue out. "Dangerous for you, Mommy. But I've got the red moon."

Mommy shook her head and glanced at Daddy. "Definitely takes after you."

"Are you and your yellow moon jealous?" Daddy teased.

Mommy rolled her eyes.

"You think you're a red moon tough gal?" Daddy asked Aika.

Aika nodded.

"Show me what you've got," he said.

Aika beamed and slapped her hand onto the mattress in front of her. "Lambda Burst!"

Daddy laughed. "Almost, just keep practicing."

"That means I can come?" Aika asked.

"You master the Lambda Burst before you turn seven and I'll get you your own ship and start calling you captain," Daddy promised.

"Careful, now." Mommy laughed. "She'll hold you to it."

"It'll be worth it," Daddy replied. He stretched and leaned back against the headboard.

"Make my hair pretty," Aika said. "Like Mrs. Vyse's mom."

"Like Mrs. Vyse's mom?" Mommy murmured. "Let's see about that."

"Why do you want to look like Mrs. Vyse's mom?" Daddy asked. "She's not a pirate."

"Vyse says that's how girls are supposed to look," Aika huffed. "Says I have huskra hair."

"Is this before or after you tried to force him to eat dirt?" Mommy asked.

"It was a pie," Aika protested.

"A mud pie," Daddy corrected.

"He didn't eat it," Aika muttered.

"That doesn't make it any better," Mommy said.

"You don't want hair like Vyse's mom, anyway," Daddy said. "You want pirate hair."

"Pirate hair?" Aika asked.

"Uh huh," Daddy replied. "Pirate hair. Like I have. Give her some braids like her dad, Nell."

"Braids like Daddy," Aika piped in. "Pirate hair!"

"Alright," Mommy said. "But it won't look the same. Her hair's thicker than yours."

"I want it," Aika insisted.

"You've got it," Mommy replied. "Now hold still."

The child sat, patiently fidgeting while her mother finished with her hair. Daddy looked on, nodding and grinning.

"You approve, I take it?" Mommy asked.

"Beautiful," Daddy said.

Aika clapped her hands. "I'm a pirate!"

"A hungry pirate, I bet," Mommy said. "Let's get some breakfast."

Breakfast was quick and simple, so that Mommy and Daddy could get ready to leave. Aika decided to keep herself thoroughly underfoot while much of her parent's preparations were taking place. On her father's shoulders, she used his braids as makeshift reins as he rinsed his mouth out. In her sturdy leather sailing outfit, Mommy hastily pinned back stray locks of her short hair.

Inevitably came the moment when Daddy had to attempt to remove Aika from his waist.

"You know, I've heard of bugs like this," Mommy said. "You're supposed to burn them off."

"No!" Aika exclaimed.

Daddy swept her up into his arms and she was promptly sandwiched between him and Mommy.

"I'm going to miss you," Mommy said. She planted a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

"Miss you," Aika echoed.

"We'll be back before you know it." Daddy kissed her cheek. "Behave for Vyse's mom, okay?"

"And be nice to Vyse for a change," Mommy added.

Daddy pinched Aika's nose and winked. "Give him hell for me."

Aika nodded and giggled.

"You can deal with Dyne, then," Mommy told him.

Daddy placed a hand on Aika's head. "Good pirates will get something shiny, okay?"

"Promise?" she asked.

"Promise."

They were gone for a long time. But that's how it always was. Aika behaved as well as she could. The new braids she donned initially proved to be easy prey for Vyse's hands, but she was resilient. By the week's end, Aika managed to get him to eat two mud pies and a worm sandwich. Life was good.

Every night before supper, Vyse and Aika would forego their island-wide antics and wait atop the lookout for a sign of the Albatross. It was a quiet time where the two children could take comfort in each other's company, interrupted only when Vyse's mom called them to her table.

"I'm gonna be a pirate when I'm bigger," Vyse said.

"Me too," Aika chimed in.

"Why?" Vyse asked. "My mommy's not a pirate."

Aika grinned. "My mommy is. 'Sides, I can do anything you can."

"Oh." Vyse blinked. "Can you eat a worm sandwich?"

Aika scrunched up her face. "I could!" She frowned. "If it wasn't so gross."

Vyse laughed.

Aika scowled. "Don't tell," she asked. "Please."

"Okay," he agreed. "I won't. Promise."

Aika had gotten bored and had started examining a line of ants when Vyse first spotted the Albatross. Tiny, at first all that was visible was the masts. It gave the children time to work themselves into a frenzy. Jumping, shrieking and dancing on the lookout in a thoroughly ridiculous manner.

Lindsey's dad came back. Vyse's dad came back. Even the huskra pup, Pow, came back. Aika waited.

Vyse threw his arms around his father's leg and had his hair ruffled in return. Vyse's dad looked his son in the eye and gave a smile that didn't touch the rest of his face. "Why don't you head back to your mother? I'll be in after a bit."

Vyse cocked his head to one side, but the tone of his father's voice prompted the boy to obey. The older man's brows furrowed as his son scampered off.

When Vyse's dad crouched down on his knees next to her, Aika frowned. Dried blood was on his earlobe, dirt was on his face. He never laughed as much as her daddy, but his pockets usually had candy in them.

"It's getting dark out, Aika," he said. "Why don't you come with me? My wife made grule stew. You like that, don't you?"

Aika shook her head. "I always wait for Daddy and Mommy."

"They wouldn't want you outside so late," he tried.

"But when Daddy and Mommy come back we're going to have fried fish and ice cream for dessert and Daddy's going to bring me a present," Aika insisted. "He said so."

"Yes, he did." Vyse's dad sighed. He reached into his pocket. "Something shiny, right?"

Wrapped in a rag, the red moonstone gleamed under the lamplight as he pushed the oiled cloth from it. He placed it into her small hands. "He wanted you to have this."

"Where is he?" Aika demanded. "Where's Daddy."

"Let's go inside, sweetheart," Vyse's dad said softly.

Aika allowed him to take her hand in his as she spared a final look past the island and into the empty sky. Dyne led the little girl back to his house as the sun faded to a red-orange. Aika had been raised as a pirate, he reasoned, she would understand.


End file.
